Sangheilian Relations
by Blood For Blood
Summary: The war finally ended. Life was peaceful again. The Humans and the Elites have formed a somewhat fragile alliance, and Embassies help to ease tension. But its just the beginning, "Did you hear about the dude who hooked up with an Elite chick?"
1. Welcome to Sanghelios

Truth had died. Finally, he had actually done something truthful. His death marked the single greatest loss of the Covenant in their entire history. The Empire quickly dissolved into nothing more than a small fraction of colonies that still remained loyal. They didn't prove to be a problem, and the opposing forces found no real reason to finish them off, they were too weak to fight. The Unggoy quickly surrendered to the Sangheili, and agreed to serve under them with loyalty. They were however, still rather cowardice, and mostly used as laborers. The Humans and the Sangheili signed an agreement that both species would remain loyal to their truce. With this agreement, embassies were set up on all planets that were controlled by the alliance. Including a Sangheili embassy on the city of Boston, and an embassy controlled by the Humans on Sanghelios, in the City-State of Vadam. There, a hundred Army soldiers, a hundred Navy units, and two hundred Marines were stationed in bases located on Sanghelios to help improve relations. One hundred and ten Marines and ninety Army soldiers were located to the Embassy, "just in case" as the politicians had said. This is where a young boy by the name of Joseph "the Rookie" Carmine comes in. He had just enlisted, at the age of twenty, to find purpose in his life. The war had just ended when he enlisted, which seemed like a good thing, since he wouldn't be out on the front lines dying.

Joseph, casually known as Joey, was born and raised in "the good parts" of Boston, born to a privileged family. However, his opinions often differed from his peers, and as a result, he was an outcast his entire life. He only had a few friends, all of which joined up directly out of high-school. Joseph, finding absolutely nothing else to do with his initially meaningless life, joined the Marines for excitement, adventure, and to do something that mattered. Unfortunately, he found the opposite of that. He was assigned to the Sanghelios embassy, with nothing but uppity politicians, and angry drill sergeants.

"Ashley, go help the Rookie. Poor kid can't tell his ass from his elbow." Sergeant Harry said, padding Ashley on the back.

"Alright Sarge." Ashley replied.

Sergeant Harry was a tall, imposing figure. Broad shouldered, and he had a loud voice that travels. Legend around base has it that Sarge yelled at his crew on a cruiser, and the Covenant could hear it. Sergeant had a shaved head, as did every other male Marine. He wore a patrol cap, and a dark brown fatigue outfit.

Ashley scanned the area for a moment, before she found the Rookie across the courtyard, polishing his combat helmet. He was sitting by a small group of Elites, who were all simply watching him. They seemed to be confused as to why he was polishing his helmet.

"Why would you do this?" An Elite asked.

"What? Polish my helmet? Because I want it to be nice and shiny for the brass." Joey replied. Joey, or Joseph Carmine, was only slightly taller than the other male recruits, though it was hardly noticeable. His head was shaved, and he preferred to wear his combat armor on base instead of his fatigues. For unknown reasons (even to Joey), he carried an excessive amount of combat knives, carrying at least three at all times. The most blades he's ever carried before was counted to nine, strapped along his legs, arms, and a few on his chest.

"Your kind confuses me."

Ashley shook her head. The Sangheili never really got the idea of cleaning armor. They preferred to leave their armor scarred from battles, to show how close to death they have come, without actually dying. Such things apparently call for respect among their kind. Ashley stood at 5'8, and wore light combat armor on base, and on missions. She had short-cut brown hair, just above her shoulders. Her most noticeable feature was definitely her bright green eyes.

On her way to the Rookie, Ashley bumped into Rico. Rico was the group's meathead. He constantly pushed around people of lower rank, hit on every woman on base, and offended every other species out there.

"Hey, you lookin for a date tonight?" Rico asked, leaving all forms of regret behind. Rico was a tall, tanned man. He played football in high-school, and in junior high. Unlike most Marines, he has short cut hair, not flat-out shaved like others. His hair is dark brown with small amounts of red mixed in.

"Get lost Rico." Ashley snapped.

"Whatever. You know you want me babe." Rico walked away.

Ashley shot Rico the finger as she continued towards the Rookie. She bumped into Doc Andrews on the way there, however. Doctor Samantha Andrews was the resident Combat Medic, with quite a history in the medical field, beginning when she was merely fifteen, but that's another story. Doc Andrews had shoulder length blonde hair, and always wore her Combat Medic uniform, a dark grey fatigue outfit with a small red cross on the left arm.

"Hey, have you seen Ryan lately?" Doc Andrews asked, staring own at her clipboard.

"No. Why?" Ashley replied.

"He needs a physical… send me a shout if you see him." Samantha walked away a few moments later.

This time, Ashley was dedicated to get to Rookie before anyone else interrupted her. She needed to get him straightened out so the elites didn't end up carving him like a holiday ham. She tended to baby the Rookie a bit, but he could handle himself in most situations. Ashley snatched the helmet out of the Rookie's hands.

"What do we have here? I thought Sarge told you to stop polishing this thing? It makes it too noticeable." Ashley mumbled, reaching down for a handful of dirt. She smeared the dirt onto the helmet, and handed it back to the Rookie.

A few moments later, the door of the Embassy opened. It was more like a gate actually, and it only led to the courtyard. The actual Embassy was inside the walls, approximately ten feet underground. Ten Sangheili walked into the courtyard, all of which had on elaborate armor. Except for one, who had a long, flowing pink and red robe. She/he also wore a small, but elaborate headpiece.

"Form up maggots! We got company!" almost all of the sergeant's barked.

All soldiers in the courtyard formed a line, one after another. They stood at attention, staring directly ahead. A few moments later, the Human Ambassador emerged from the undergrounds. He shook hands with the most decorated Sangheili.

"It's an honor to finally meet you Taro 'Vadam. I'm Edward Udina, and we'll be working together a lot." The Ambassador greeted.

"Yes, an honor my friend. I must introduce my daughter, Tara 'Vadam. And, I must look over your warriors."

Tara, the Sangheili in the robe, nodded towards the Ambassador. Meanwhile, Taro looked over the large line of Human soldiers. He also nodded towards his fellow Sangheili warriors. Taro stopped in front of the Rookie.

"This one is young… but the fire of a warrior burns in his eyes." Taro thought aloud.

"Might I ask why you must examine our men Taro?" the Ambassador asked.

"I would like to conscript a few of your men to watch over my daughter. I value her over everything else, and I need her to be protected. I am sure that your men, and my daughter, would all benefit from this. Do you agree?"

The Ambassador slapped himself across the face. It was a rather ingenious idea actually. Entrust his own flesh and blood in the hands of strangers. IT was an ultimate sing of trust and respect.

"I… of course. It's actually a great idea."

Taro walked along the line of soldiers again. He paced up and down the line at least three to four times, before he stopped in front of Joey.

"This one. He will make a good guard, I believe. Do you have arrangements for my daughter?" Taro turned to the Ambassador.

"Uh, arrangements?"

"Housing. A room, food, you should know of what I speak."

"Oh, of course she can stay here. We have plenty of Ambassador rooms, she can take her pick."

"Good… I wouldn't suggest my daughter staying here, but Humans out in the open this early might cause panic. I'm sure you understand."

"Of course Taro. Don't worry; she'll be safe with us."

"I would hope so. Make sure that the guards I picked stays with her whenever she is in the open. I will leave some of my guards to assist in this task."

Taro took a few steps back, and exchanged words with his guards. They nodded, saluted, and stood next to the Rookie. Taro exchanged silent words with Tara, before the two hugged, and Tara kissed her father on the side of the head. Taro nodded to his remaining guards, and they proceeded to the exit. Sergeant Harry and the Ambassador approached Joseph. The Sergeant padded him on the back.

"Congrats Rookie, you've just been promoted. Show the little lady to her quarters." The Sergeant said with a chuckle.


	2. To the Market

The Rookie, still incredibly surprised, nodded. However, his helmet wasn't strapped on right, and fell to cover his eyes. He adjusted his helmet.

"Uh… yes, sir… right away sir." Joseph murmured.

"Then quit talking about it, and get it done soldier!" the Sergeant yelled, shoving the Rookie away.

Joseph stumbled a bit, before regaining his balance. He stood in front of Tara, and just stared for a moment. She looked almost nothing like the Elites that were encountered on the battlefield. Besides the bright, colorful, robe that blew with the wind, she didn't seem to be wearing any armor. But a closer look at her barely exposed feet revealed a Sangheili armored boot. Her headdress only covered the top, side, and back of her head, leaving her mandibles exposed. The sleeves of her robe hung down to her knees, leaving her unable to grasp most objects. She seemed to almost always wear a sincere smile, however sometimes she became incredibly flourished, nervous, or shy. When that happened, she giggled ever so slightly, and her smile trembled faintly.

"Uh, come with me please, ma'am." Joseph said, however his voice was faint.

The Rookie led Tara and her three bodyguards down to the lower levels of the Embassy. The Embassy was well-lit, unlike much of the underground base used by the military personnel. There were at least three corridors of ten rooms, half of which were unused. Joey peered around a corner, and found a completely barren hallway. All of the rooms were unused, and there was no through-traffic. Joseph stopped in front of the hallway.

"Uh… I think all of these are empty. Go ahead and take your pick." Joseph nodded down the hall.

"We will check the rooms, please wait my lady." The largest Sangheili guard said, moving quickly into the nearest room.

The other two Guards followed him, and they quickly proceeded to tare the room apart in search of… who knows? That left Tara and Joseph in an uncomfortable silence. Both their eyes darted around the area, occasionally meeting for a few seconds, before they both nervously looked away.

"Your kind has always fascinated me." Tara said, breaking the silence. The Rookie noted that her voice was much lighter, higher, and more sincere than that of the other Sangheili. That was probably the main way of differentiating the two genders of the Sangheili species.

Joseph stared at her for a moment, confused. "Uh… thanks?"

"I hope I do not bother you with my questions, but I seek knowledge. I wish to be a master tactician."

"Eh, ask away."

"… I don't have any questions at the moment… I will let you know if I think of any."

The Rookie stared at her again. "You do that."

A few moments later, the largest Guard emerged from the room. He dusted his hands off.

"It is safe for you my lady."

"Thank you Darok. I wish to be alone for now." Tara replied, promptly walking into the room. The other guards emerged moments later.

Darok stared down at Joseph. He planted a hand on his shoulder, and squeezed firmly.

"Taro is a wise man. There must be something special about you, for he wouldn't choose you if there wasn't. Prove yourself human." Darok said in a firm tone. Darok stood at least a foot taller than Joseph, and by default, Tara, who was slightly shorter than Joseph. Darok wore heavy Sangheili armor, which was mostly white, with iridescent blue markings on the shoulders, chest, and legs. He wore the helmet of a Sangheili Zealot.

Joseph swallowed hard. "Yes… yes sir." The Rookie pulled out a walkie-talkie, and handed it to Darok. "Tell… Tara, I think, to use this if she needs to talk to me."

Darok stared at the small device in his hand. He nodded at the Rookie, and turned back to the room Tara was in. He and the other guards stood diligently for the entire night. The Rookie turned towards the stairs, and walked away. He made his way back up to surface level, and went right to the armory. If he was gonna be working with three angry, loyal Sangheili guards, he was gonna need his pistol back.

Up at the armory, Ryan Wilcox, AKA "Rat", was just finishing Joseph's pistol. He spent the past two days working on it, after an idiot Unggoy dropped it off the second story balcony. The slide snapped right off. The Unggoy was slapped by his superiors, and Joseph was left with a broken gun. That's where Rat came in. He was a master mechanic, and could fix almost anything that could ever be broken.

Rat was somewhat shorter than most, standing just a bit smaller than Joseph. His head was shaved, and he had slight stubble. He usually wore a pair of welding goggles, and when he didn't, they were on top of his head. He wore a fatigue vest, and standard pants. He also wore a grease-stained apron.

"Rat, my gun fixed yet?" Joseph asked.

"Yep. She's like new. Here you go man." Rat handed the Rookie a pistol, and nodded.

"Thanks man, I owe you one."

"As a favor, hook me up with Ashley. Eh?"

"That's up to her man. C'ya."

Ryan shot the Rookie the finger as he walked away. The Rookie spent the rest of his day in the library trying to cram as much as he could about the Sangheili tradition, so he didn't do something that got him killed. He fell asleep at 11, and was rudely woken up by the sound of his helmet radio going off. He threw his helmet on, and sighed.

"Human. My lady wishes to see you, as we are leaving soon." Darok groaned over the radio.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there in a few minutes." The Rookie replied.

Joseph donned his body armor, his knives, and his pistol. He made his way out of the barracks, through the courtyard, and into the Embassy. He noted that only one of the three suns was out. The darkest sun to be exact, and it provided little to no light. It was still dark out, maybe only five a.m. The Rookie made his way down towards Tara's room. There he found all three of Tara's guards standing exactly where they were earlier.

The Rookie was in for one hell of a wait. He pulled up a chair, and fell asleep after an hour of waiting. He woke up when he heard Tara.

"Hello." Tara greeted politely, nodding her head slightly.

The Rookie stood up, and adjusted his helmet. "Yeah. Mornin', what's going on?"

"We must go into the market. I called you here because we need to fit you with Sangheili armor so you do not cause panic amongst the populous."

"Um… ok. Lead the way then."

On their way out, the group passed a clock. To the Rookie's surprise, it was already eight o'clock. He had been asleep for almost two hours. That girl needed a lot of make-up, or something. She took three hours to get ready. In the words of almost every human out there; "damn".

Up at the Garage of the base, a Sangheili engineer was waiting. He had already formed a suit of armor, full body, for the Rookie, using the Human marine fitting system. When questioned about why he was done so early, he would reply that his daughter was being wed soon, and he had a bad feeling about her mate, so he had to work to get his mind off it.

The armor fit just-so around the Rookie's Marine combat armor. The Sangheili then shooed the group, and went to work repairing a damaged Wraith.

The Rookie wore the Sangheili Ultra armor, complete with a plasma rifle. When the Rookie asked the engineer if he wanted the armor back, he just told him to go away. So the Rookie planned on keeping the armor. Maybe he'd hang it up in his closet for special occasions.

"I must admit, you look like any other Sangheili. If I didn't know any better, I'd greet you as such…" Tara began, before she began to look flustered.

"Uh… my name is Joseph, Joseph Carmine."

"Thank you. I admit I feel incredibly awkward when I am to spend large amounts of time with someone and I don't even know their name."

"Yeah. I'd prefer if we just got on with this…" the Rookie yawned. "I'm tired as hell."

"Of course."

The five walked in complete and total silence for two minutes. The second sun was just coming over the horizon, and the land became dully lit. The group then walked on for three more minutes, before Darok stopped them. He moved Tara into a building, and activated her UV shield. Since she was treated like royalty, he didn't want her getting as much as a sunburn.

"Damn…" Joseph murmured under his breath.

"What?" Darok asked.

"Nothing. I said nothing at all."

By the time the group got back out onto the streets, there was a bit more traffic. A few Ghosts, a Wraith, and small groups of Sangheili and Unggoy. But there was little to no attention to the Tara or her guards. Joseph was almost hypnotized by the beautiful architecture, while Tara was more focused on trying to learn more about the Human race.

"Are you alright? You seem as though you haven't heard a word I've said." Tara asked, looking up at the Rookie as they walked.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm alright. But these buildings, they look… awesome." Joseph replied.

"Yes, we've used the same architecture for millennia, with modern touches. Architects are highly respected amongst our kind."

"Can't say I'm surprised. They got their work cut out for them."

"As I was saying, I would love to learn more about you and your kind."

Joseph looked over his shoulder at Tara. She had a sincere smile, as usual.

"Wouldn't mind that myself actually."

**Happy Halloween! Thanks for the reviews, c'ya 'till next time.**


	3. Yar 'Zule

Darok headed the group as they approached a tall, rather imposing building. However, the five couldn't see the building, merely its figure. The third and largest sun had crested over the horizon, but was blocked out by the large building. It produced an elongated shadow, and a silhouette. Joseph was in slight awe at how large the building was. It must've had at least a hundred floors. And the Rookie was afraid of heights. And for some reason, he heard a slight beeping from behind him. When he went to turn around, all he saw was one of the guards.

"Are you alright? You're heart rate has jumped to unnatural levels." The guard said, tapping the Rookie on the back.

The Rookie turned in a circle, and tried to reach around his own back. "How can you tell?"

"All armor is equipped with a heartbeat sensor. When your heart slows or speeds up too much, your armor produces an annoying sound."

"So that's what it is!" the Rookie snapped his finger, whilst still trying to reach his back. "Turn it off, I can't stand it!"

"That is not possible."

And on that note, the group moved onward. Darok still led them, but Tara was right behind him. She seemed ever so eager, peering into every alley, doorway, and up into every balcony. However, every time she turned her gaze onto a male Sangheili, they bowed to her. Even she wasn't intentionally looking at them.

Darok stopped in front of the building, and gazed up at it. He nodded. "We have arrived my lady. What do you wish to do?"

"Wait, _this_ is the market?" Joseph asked.

Tara nodded at him. "Yes. It's a magnificent building, isn't it? We should go inside and wait, I suppose."

Darok walked to the door, and it instantly opened. Motion activated doors, giant buildings, and aliens that might still hold grudges. The Rookie had his work cut out for him. The group waited for at least ten, maybe twenty minutes. Then, a near identical group met them. An adolescent Sangheili, that appeared very similar to Tara only smaller, was being escorted by three Sangheili Ultras and a Stealth Minor. The adolescent Sangheili wore a plain white robe with a black belt, and the sleeves reached down to the knees as well.

"Hello Damos, how have you been?" Tara asked, kneeling.

"Great!" Damos replied, hugging Tara tightly. Damos spoke in a high-pitched and squeaky voice. "I saw him again…"

"Really? You must tell me about it sometimes." Tara smiled, and peered over her shoulder. She then noticed Joseph, who was staring awkwardly at the two. She stood up, and placed an affectionate hand on Damos' shoulder.

"Joseph… this is my younger sibling, Damos."

The Rookie leaned in to Tara. "Sister, right?"

Tara nodded with slight laughter. Damos stared up at the Rookie, gazing in awe at his incredibly fresh armor.

"Who is this one? I do not recall father assigning him." Damos asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"This is… Yar 'Zule. He is a veteran of the Great War…" Tara said, smiling to herself. She was surprised at how quickly she had come up with that.

The Rookie raised his hand to speak, but Tara grabbed his wrist and put his hand back down.

"He was shot in the throat, and he is now mute, however." Tara finished.

Joseph just stared at her. Mute? That was pure "bullshit". But he couldn't talk now. 'Cause he's apparently a mute goddamn veteran. Darok was incredibly amused by this, as he couldn't hold his laughter. He shoved the Rookie playfully, and laughed even louder.

"Isn't that right Yar?" Darok asked, quelling his laughter for the moment.

Joseph, or "Yar" as he was to be known by the Sangheili public, made the shape of a pistol with his hand, put it to his temple, and "shot" himself.

"Such odd things. Do most mutes act like this?" Damos asked.

"I wish I could tell you more Damos, I really do. But we must go soon. Do you have it?" Tara asked, kneeling besides Damos.

"Of course!" Damos cried out, attempting to reach into her pockets. However, due to her large sleeves, she could not.

"Allow me, my lady." One of her guards interrupted. The Guard kneeled beside Damos, and reached inside the lower left pocket on the outside of her robe. A few moments later, the guard removed a heavy, pure gold trinket. A Sangheili styled locket to be exact. The Seal of the Sangheili Honor Guard was on the outer cover, with two small picture frames on the inside. One was already filled with a picture of Damos and Tara, while the other was empty.

"Thank you Syar. That will be all."Damos said, nodding. The guard stood up, and returned to his place. "Here you go."

Damos dropped to locket into Tara's palm, which was covered by her long sleeves. After a few moments of fiddling with her sleeves, Tara determined that she could not place the locket in her pocket on her own. She hugged Damos one last time, and stood up.

"Please take her home. Father will be upset if she is not home in time for her lessons." Tara whispered to Damos' head guard. The guard nodded.

"Now, it is time to go my lady." The guard said, motioning towards the exit.

"Of course it is…" Damos said with a yawn. "I think it's time for a nap…" Damos nearly stumbled, but she caught herself, with the assistance of her head guard.

"Ah, they're so innocent at this age. Just think, in ten years she'll be a ruthless politician, or the head of the Honor Guard. Move out." The guard murmured to himself, as he gently picked up Damos, and carried her over his shoulder.

Damos' and her guard disappeared from sight a few moments later. One of Tara's unnamed guards stepped forward with a small length of silver chain.

"Allow me my lady." He said, outstretching his hand.

Tara gave him the locket, and he proceeded to loop the ends of the chain onto the locket. When he was complete, he raised the locket and chain combination, and nodded.

"If I may, my lady." The guard said in a somewhat humble tone.

"Of course Uros." Tara replied, bowing her head slightly.

Uros carefully, and ever-so gently lowered the newly made necklace onto Tara's shoulders. Tara raised her head, and nodded at Uros.

"Thank you Uros. It is greatly appreciated." Tara said with a smile.

"'Tis an honor to serve you my lady."

"Why do you carry around chains?" the Rookie asked, finally speaking.

"Oh, and our mute companion has recovered?" Darok asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Shut up man!"

"Chain has many uses, my friend." Uros interrupted.

Joseph stared at Uros. He carried chains, his red armor almost looked pink, and he carried around an energy staff. It seemed as though Uros was a very confused Sangheili. The Rookie just took a step back, shook his head, and sighed. Uros shrugged. He did not understand the mindset of Humans. The very thought of exactly what goes on inside their heads confused and puzzled him.

"That's just… just… no." Joseph murmured.

"Well, I suppose we should return to the Embassy. The ambassador might worry about us." Tara said quietly.

"Yes. We should move out immediately." Darok replied.

Darok, yet again, led the group. However, his pace was quick, and he seemed impatient. As though… as a Human would say, "he had a hot date" waiting at home for him. Unfortunately, in his case it was true. His mate had arranged for their offspring to spend the weekend with their friends. That would've hopefully given the two at least two days alone. And he was looking forward to that much needed time alone with his lifelong mate. In the words of one of his human colleagues, they were "gonna get freaky". If Darok was right, his mate was in heat as well. Which was perfect timing.

By the time the five had reached the Embassy gates, Darok was itching himself uncontrollably, his hands were trembling, and he was incredibly irritable.

Darok, are you alright? You seem pissed." Joseph asked.

"I can smell her human. Her scent is bitter-sweet." Darok replied, raising his head to sniff the air.

"Smell… smell who?" the Rookie asked.

"My Dela… she is in heat. Her scent speaks to me, and she waits for me…" Darok began to ramble for a moment. He stared at the Rookie. "I will be missing for the next few days. I am entrusting the proper protection of Tara to you and the other guards. If she is harmed, I will kill you. It's simple. Now, I must go to her. Dela calls me, and I cannot hold the answer anymore. Goodbye."

On that note, Darok took off running towards his home. His mate's scent got stronger and stronger with every step he took. That left the Rookie in charge of Tara. Well, more so in charge than with Darok around. Since, chances were, the other guards are still more in charge than he was. But now he was third, not fourth. Though there wasn't much of a difference, since he was still in last.

While the Rookie was contemplating his temporary promotion, Tara had snuck up on him. The Rookie wasn't even aware that someone in a robe could be sneaky. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"Where did Darok go? I must tell him something." Tara asked, peering around Joseph.

"Huh?" the Rookie replied, half-startled. "Oh, he went home… said something about his mate being in heat… I don't even know what that means..."

"Heat? I guess that would explain it… Heat, in scientific terms, is very similar to the estrous cycle of mammalian females. It involves the evolutionary need to reproduce…" Tara began.

"Whoa, no need to get technical." The Rookie interrupted, putting a hand up to stop Tara. "How 'bout the quick explanation?"

"Heat, is when a Sangheili female becomes excessively sexually active, releasing multiple hormones that induce the craving to mate."

The Rookie just twitched slightly. He almost regretted asking. _Almost._

**Now, I don't want to ruin the surprise, but a new Halo story **_**MIGHT **_**be emerging later. I said later, when I get a bit more things done. Maybe. We'll see…**


	4. A Simple Packet

Tara smiled nervously at Joseph, and closed the door. The Rookie reached up and removed his helmet quickly. It was stuffy, hard to breath, and hot in that thing. The Sangheili sure as hell didn't design it for comfort… or maybe he was just using it wrong. Either way, it was nowhere near as comfortable as his Marine helmet. But he kept it off, just because he'd look like a clown wearing Sangheili armor and a Marine's helmet. The Rookie quickened his pace as he walked back to his bunk. It was a three minute walk throughout the inner workings of the base. Unfortunately, Doc Andrews caught up to Joseph before he got to his room.

"Hey, I need to talk to you in the office for a second." Andrews said as she pulled the Rookie into her office. "Nice outfit. When did you get Sangheili armor?"

"Oh, got it just earlier today. What ya need doc?" Joseph asked, leaning against the exam table. That's when he noticed the large rack filled with syringes… he hated needles.

"Well…" Andrews began, stopping to try and find the right words. "I've noticed that you have… taken a liking… to Tara. It's alright; I'm not here to judge you."

The Rookie choked. He pounded himself on the chest to get air flowing through his lungs again.

"What? I do not!" Joseph called out in a defensive tone. "It's just a professional friendship."

"Whatever you say Joseph. But I have a few things to give you, and some advice."

The Rookie crossed his arms and sighed. "Whatever."

"Alright… no need to act like a child." Andrews said as she reached across her desk. She picked up a thick pamphlet, and handed it to the Rookie.

"What's this?" Joseph asked.

"It's a packet outlining interspecies intercourse. The first half is about the dangers and precautions that you should take."

"And the second half?" Joseph stood straight up, as his interest was peaked.

"Oh… It's about the creative uses of a female Sangheili's mandibles. Oh, a word for the wise. After your first time with a Sangheili female, you'll both experience a burning sensation, and flu-like symptoms. Don't worry; the burning will go away after about an hour. After your first time, it should go away for good. Come see me if it doesn't."

Joseph began to inch towards the door. "That all?"

"You need to come see me later. You still need a few vaccines. And if you want to have sex on this planet, then you really need these vaccines."

The Rookie swallowed a lump in his throat as he walked out of the office. As stated before, he had a severe hatred and fear of needles. Of course, they didn't really hurt. After all, he had been knocked out multiple times by his drill sergeant with training rounds back on earth. But he still hated needles. They just didn't look right.

But he still had a few hours to go, so he needed to just go relax until then. Joseph sighed with relief as he finally reached his destination. His room. Normally, Marines would be bunked with two or three other Marines of the same sex given the current conditions, however, for some odd reason the Rookie was given his own room. It was likely just a mess up with registration, but he wasn't complaining.

Joseph leaned out of the door, and looked around. The hall was empty; this was good. Before he did anything else, he needed to get out of that armor. It was starting to piss him off, considering he couldn't scratch himself with it on. At least with Marine armor you could scratch an itch. He quickly removed his armor, and hung it up in his closet. It would've made a great conversation piece, but you need people to visit to make conversation. So, he just hung it up and looked at it every once and a while.

Joseph closed his door, and sighed. He walked over to his bed, and reached under it to retrieve his foot locker. He yanked it out from under his bed, and unlocked it. It's funny how such simple, yet reliable technology lasts for so long. He then proceeded to remove an even smaller lockbox, and unlock that. He reached for its contents, and smiled. But that's when Ashley burst through the door. The Rookie stood up, and hid his hands behind his back.

"Hey Rookie… what's behind your back?" Ashley asked suspiciously, trying to peer around the Rookie.

"Uh… nothing…" Joseph replied, backing up against the wall.

"Show me Rookie."

"No."

"Rookie… show me what you have and maybe I won't tell Sarge."

"Nuh-uh." The Rookie shook his head.

"Hand it over and I won't tell that Elite girl that you love her."

"I do not!"

Ashley outstretched her hand, and stared at the Rookie with a grin. After a few moments, Joseph broke and handed Ashley what appeared to be a bag of gummy worms. Ashley stared at the bag, and shook her head at the Rookie. She was expecting porn, or something stupid like that.

"Candy? Really? You're a freak or something." Ashley said, still shaking her head.

"Well… even though it's not anything really bad, candy is still contraband. It's not a really enforced rule, but I'd rather be safe." The Rookie said nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

Ashley paused for a moment, and then tossed the bag back to Joseph with a smile. "Get me a few bags of those gummy fish and this little ordeal will stay secret."

Ashley walked out of the room a second later, and was not to be heard from for a while. Joseph closed his door, and then locked it just to be safe. He spent the rest of his night reading the surprisingly large packet Doc Andrews had given him. He was barely halfway finished when the 'good-night' bell rang. The Rookie tossed the packet on his nightstand, and went to bed.

Just as Joseph woke up, his radio went off. And who else could it have been; the good doctor Andrews. She scolded the Rookie for not getting his shots, and told him to go to her office before he went to eat breakfast. And just as Andrews got off the radio, Tara got on it.

"Hello? Joseph, can you hear me?" Tara asked in a confused tone.

The Rookie sighed, and threw his helmet on. "Yeah, I read you. What's up princess?"

"Please don't call me that. I wish to see you soon. That is all, I suppose…"

The Rookie shook his head. Tara sounded as though she was confused as he was. He threw on his clothes, and then his armor, and quickly proceeded to Tara's room. Although Doc's office was closer, Joseph didn't want to screw his entire planet just by pissing off one Sangheili. He'd rather have a single doctor angry at him than an entire species.

Joseph knocked on Tara's door, and she answered quickly. She was fully dressed, and she even seemed to be awake. Last time, she was just as tired as Joseph. She just didn't like to complain about it. The Rookie however, was happy to let it out. Tara's other guards, excluding Darok who was still at home with his mate, joined the two quickly.

"So, what did you need to talk about?" Joseph asked as he began to walk to the Doctor's office.

"Well… I want to try human food." Tara replied sheepishly.

"Really? You want to try our food? I thought Sangheili were carnivores?"

"Yes, and humans are omnivores. Which means you have to have meat as well."

"Touché. Well, I need to stop at the doctors before we hit the mess hall."

"Lead the way."

Joseph kept on walking for at least three minutes. The only sounds you could hear were footsteps, accompanied by the sound of Tara sniffing the air repeatedly. As though she was searching for something. After Joseph reached Doc Andrews office, he simply rolled up his sleeve and took a deep breath. But the good doctor seemed intent on making it painfully slow.

"Hello Joseph… glad to see you finally showed up. And…" Doc Andrews began, before she noticed Tara. She seemed to bow slightly. "Hello Tara, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Tara nodded with a smile. "And you as well Doctor Andrews."

After a moment, the good doctor returned to her senses. "Well, just hold still and I'll get to you in a moment."

Andrews picked up a rather small syringe, and an anti-bacterial wipe. She sterilized a small part of the Rookie's left arm, and then stuck him. He barely moved at all, and didn't really seem to be bothered by the needle.

"There you go Rookie. And…" Doc Andrews cleared her throat. "Remember to give that packet a read, will you?"

The Rookie shook his head. "Whatever doc, whatever. Alright, let's go get some grub. I'm starving."

Tara nodded, and followed Joseph out. The remaining two guards followed them. As the group neared the mess hall, Tara began to sniff the air again. Her mouth started to water, and she became restless.

"What is that tantalizing smell?" Tara asked ambitiously.

"That?" Rookie sniffed the air, and sighed. "That's classic bacon. Best damn invention since sex…"

The Rookie walked into the mess hall, and pointed to an empty table. "Go sit over there. I'll be back with your plate in a sec Tara."

Tara and her two guards sat down at the table, while the Rookie rushed off to the food-line. He grabbed two trays, and the line slowly crept forward.

"Hey man, give me two servings of bacon and sausage… and one serving of hash browns." The Rookie said, outstretching both trays.

"Two servings?" the chef asked.

Joseph peered over his shoulder at Tara, who seemed to be more alive than ever. The chef nodded with a smile.

"Ah, you're getting some for your lady friend. Alright man, good luck."

Joseph shook his head as he walked back to the table. He set both trays down, and sat down next to Tara. Tara instantly dug into her food, which was purely bacon and sausage. The Rookie continued reading the packet the Doc gave him as he ate. He read a particularly interesting article about creative uses of the female Sangheili's mandibles. It read "_However, as is commonly known, the teeth of a Sangheili are sharp, but unless pressure is added, they will not break skin. So do not be afraid to use the mandibles for… less common things. From personal experience with the Sangheili, I know that their tongues are somewhat lengthy, and you should not be afraid of using it. If you prefer such things as licking and biting, a Sangheili partner would be perfect, especially for things such as oral…_" that's when the Rookie stopped reading. It started to get really creepy after that. The entire packet was written by some Human Therapist who had an unhealthy obsession with the Sangheili species.


	5. Movie Night

Tara had cleared her plate in just less than two minutes flat. Her tongue flicked out of her mouth as she savored the flavor of "human cuisine". Joseph stared at her as he tore a chunk of bacon off of a strip and crammed it into his mouth. After a moment, Joseph returned to the packet that sat before him. He flipped back to the front, and read over the first few paragraphs. It stated a few obvious things. Humans and Sangheili cannot reproduce due to extreme biological differences (of course). It also stated precautions should be taken during interspecies intercourse, such as use of antibiotics and vaccines to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, temperature control to keep both species comfortable, and, it was even suggested that the human partner wear armor or padding to prevent their partner from harming them with their claws, teeth, or extreme strength, though it was mostly suggested for female humans partnering with male Sangheili.

"What are you reading?" Tara asked, trying to peer over Joseph's shoulder.

Joseph, who just now realized that Tara was now paying attention again, swallowed a lump in his throat. He folded the packet up and stuffed it in his pockets. "Uh… nothing. Just something the Doc told me to read. I think it's about poisonous plants here on Sanghelios." Joseph smiled to himself, proud that he came up with such a quick excuse.

"Oh, did you read about the toxic Sawa tree?" Tara asked, clasping her hands together with a curious smile.

The Rookie rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Uh… yeah, it's in there somewhere. I think…"

The Rookie, Tara, and her two other guards spent the rest of their day with the Sangheili members on base. Tara simply enjoyed the company of her own kind, although she did also enjoy her time with humans. Joseph decided to take the time to spar with one of the warriors. It might've been one of the biggest mistakes he made, had he chosen a different foe to spar with. He chose a relatively young warrior, who was barely taller than Joseph. He was still somewhat "shiny" as people called it, since his armor was shiny, polished, and without scratches or dents.

Joseph used the steps they told him in basic training for hand-to-hand. Step 1; size up your opponent. The two seemed almost evenly matched, but of course, Jax 'Putum, the young Sangheili warrior had the upper hand, since his species had more brute strength. Step 2; analyze your surroundings. A circular ring, surrounded by low walls, just half a foot taller than the Rookie. There was a large coliseum-style seating arrangement, large rings of benching surrounding the ring. Step 3; form a plan. Joseph contemplated. It's likely that he would have to use the walls, and his height, to his advantage. Step 4; come up with a fallback plan. If he needed to, Joseph could go in for a low-blow. After all, Sangheili and human males weren't that different, right? Or, he could just trip the warrior and pin him with his knee. That would work too.

Jax and Joseph both jumped into the ring, and began to circle each other. Jax moved first, lunging ferociously at Joseph. The Rookie barely managed to dodge the warrior's berserk attack, and used his momentum to slam his opponent into the concrete walls. Jax stumbled backwards, and shook the blow off. Joseph moved first this time. Since Jax was taller than he, he had a slight maneuverability advantage over him. Jax lifted his leg for a kicked, but Joseph leaned out of the way. Jax stumbled forward, and caught himself. Joseph went to kick him in the back of the knee, but Jax moved his foot ever-so-slightly, and Joseph fell forward. Jax grabbed Joseph by the collar, and lifted him to his feet. Jax shoved the Rookie against the wall, and delivered a knee to his stomach. Joseph keeled over gasping for air.

Jax stood up, and waited for Joseph to stand back up. Joseph slowly rose to his feet, still having trouble breathing. Jax leaned in, and delivered a flurry of punches. Joseph staggered backwards, and leaned against the wall as he struggled to recapture his breath. But again, Jax was upon him. But Joseph wasn't going to slip this time. Jax's mandibles opened up, and his tongue flared. Jax roared to intimidate his opponent, but he got an entirely different outcome. As soon as Jax's mandibles opened, the Rookie wound up for a punch. But he threw it too soon. Jax barely dodged the punch, and the Rookie's arm grazed one of his open mandibles. Of course, the adrenaline pumping through both of the soldier's veins kept them from feeling any pain associated with the incident. Jax swiped his foot sideways, and he tripped Joseph. He placed his boot on Joseph's chest. He chuckled, and was about to claim his victory, when he felt something catch his foot.

Joseph grabbed Jax's leg, and rolled to his left. He brought Jax down, and repositioned himself. He planted his knee on Jax's throat, and applied pressure.

Jax laughed loudly with a smile. "I like you human. You fight like a true warrior."

Joseph stood up, and extended his hand to Jax. Joseph assisted Jax to his feet, and the two nodded at each other with smiles. Jax climbed up out of the "pit" as some of the more hardened warriors called it. Joseph began to climb out; he got halfway out of the pit when a Sangheili hand was thrust into his view. Joseph looked up to see Tara holding her hand out to Joseph. Joseph took Tara's hand, and tried to pull himself up. Instead of doing so, he managed to get out of the pit, but he pulled Tara directly on top of himself.

Tara and Joseph stared at each other awkwardly, both of them frightened and nervous of the position they were in, but both of them afraid to make the first move. Both their eyes were wide, and they were both shaky. Joseph moved first after a minute; he raised his hand and tapped Tara on the shoulder.

"Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?" Joseph asked, not removing his eyes from Tara's gaze.

Tara couldn't speak. She opened her mouth but the words wouldn't come out. Tara was blushing, but instead of the flesh on her face turning bright red, it turned indigo. Joseph noticed this, and he began to panic. Did he do something stupid? The Rookie broke away from Tara's gaze, and averted his eyes downward. Tara snapped out of her state-of-mind, and took a deep breath.

"I'm f-fine…" Tara began with a stutter. "Just a bit shaken up."

Joseph sighed with relief. "Are you sure?"

Of course, by this time, Tara's other two guards were running to the rescue. They both fell to their knees, dropping their weapons, and they both took one of Tara's arms. They gently pulled Tara to her feet, and frantically searched her for any sign of injury.

"Are you wounded my lady? Must I alert the healers?" Uros asked quickly.

It is a curious relationship between the Sangheili species and medicine. The Sangheili view blood as one's very own essence, "liquid honor" as some humans described it before. If one was bleeding, then they were losing their very soul and honor. Doctors operated in the shadows, for low amounts of money, on people who were desperate enough to risk their very being asking a doctor for help. Doctors were despised because they cut people open for a living, and drained them of their soul. Or so the Sangheili thought. However, Healers and Shamans were often paid greatly for using herbal supplements, bandages, and "magic" rituals involving a glowing rock that radiates heat and energy, nicknamed "Soul-Rocks" as they were thought to contain the souls of ancient warriors, to heal the afflicted. Surprisingly, these rituals and methods could often save a warrior who almost burned to death, or were shot in the upper torso.

Tara shook her head, and dusted herself off. "No Uros, I'm fine. I appreciate your concern, but I am unharmed." Tara's eyes shifted over to the Rookie, who was also busy dusting himself off. She frowned to herself.

"Are you alright?"

Joseph paused for a moment, before realizing the question was aimed at him. He turned around to see Tara with an almost concerned look on her face. Joseph was shocked. He didn't really expect the ambassador's daughter to ask him if _he_ was alright. Think about it for a minute. The politician's eldest daughter, asking the soldier if he was hurt. These were strange days indeed.

Tara stepped closer to Joseph, and the worry on her face became more obvious. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt during the fight?"

Joseph heard it yet again, but still, he didn't really believe it. Joseph blinked, and nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."

Tara grabbed Joseph's right arm roughly, and examined it. He was bleeding. Blood streamed down his arm to his hand, where it dripped to form a crimson puddle on the concrete floor. Joseph stared. He didn't even feel it. Tara lightly poked multiple spots on Joseph's arms. After she got closer to the inside of his elbow, Joseph began to feel the pain. He quickly pulled away as soon as Tara's finger landed a few inches from his elbow.

"Damn it! That stings…" Joseph cried out, wincing as he pulled away.

"Let me see it! If you don't hold still, I can't help." Tara snapped, grabbing a hold of Joseph's wrist tightly. She pulled his arm out, and stared at the blood that dribbled from his arm.

"Must've cut myself on something when I was climbing out of the pit or something…" Joseph murmured to himself.

"No. I've seen something like this before. You were bitten by a Sangheili. I can see a small puncture wound right…" Tara jabbed a small spot near Joseph's elbow. Joseph flinched, and yanked his arm away. "There…"

"Damn it!" Joseph cried, his eyes beginning to water. "Please stop that… it hurts like hell…"

"Come on; let's get you to your doctor. I think she might now more about your human medicine than I do." Tara said, taking Joseph's hand. She guided him towards the exit, while her guards simply stared at each other in awe.

As soon as Tara and Joseph were out into the open base, a crowd gathered. Ashley was the first one by the Rookie's side, not counting Tara; since she was the first one to notice that his arm was stained with crimson. After just two minutes, Tara was practically forced out of the group. She was left helpless as the person she was trying to help was surrounded and smothered by his so-called friends.

"Ok, everyone who doesn't know the Rookie, get lost!" Ashley commanded. And on that note, the crowd scattered.

Tara's guards rushed out after her, while Tara raced after Joseph, who was now being practically dragged by Ashley towards Doc Andrews office. Tara caught up with Joseph, and her guards with her. Tara moved into Doc Andrew's office, and her guards waited outside.

"Well, you're one lucky son of a bitch Rookie." Doc Andrews said as she prepped a syringe.

"I'm bleedin' out… how am I lucky?" Joseph replied.

"That vaccine I gave you. It prevents a disease that's transferred through Sangheili tooth-contact. If I didn't give you that shot, you'd be dying of blood-poisoning." Andrews replied, flicking the tip of the needle.

"I hate needles…" Joseph murmured.

"And I hate having to deal with whiny babies when I'm a doctor for soldiers. Shut up and relax."

Doc Andrews gave the Rookie another shot, and sent him on his way. Joseph spent the rest of his day lounging around idly in his bunk. And Tara accompanied him, insisting that he not do anything strenuous because of his "injury". He felt fine in all honestly, but he didn't want to upset Tara. So, the two sat around for two hours listening to the Marines Military Channel on the radio.

The next two weeks were completely uneventful. Tara insisted that the Rookie wear a bandage over his "wound" for a week or until it healed. Since Joseph was her guard, he took orders from her. So he wore the bandage and just rolled with it. But, after two weeks of surviving the horrid heat of Sanghelios, the Government decided that the boys out on the field could use a break from it all. So, the upper-class officers scheduled for a "Movie-Night" for the soldiers.

The officers chose a movie that would suit the soldier mindset. Instead of a war movie about the Human-Covenant War, they chose a horror movie. It featured six humans and three Sangheili, all of which were hunted by a psychotic Brute murderer. Joseph had been waiting ever since they announced the movie-night so he could just get away from all of the stress. Tara had decided she wanted to watch the movie too, however.

"It contains 'excessive violence'?" Tara asked, tilting her head.

"It's got gore, blood, guts. You know." Joseph replied, reaching for a handful of popcorn.

Tara extended her hand towards the bucket of popcorn. "May I?"

"Sure."

Tara took a small handful of popcorn, and quickly devoured it. Small chunks and crumbs fell from inside her mandibles. As the movie started, Tara became tense. Joseph could sense it. Joseph placed his hand on the armrest.

"Just remember; it's just a movie. Nothing to be afraid of." Joseph insured.

But as the violence grew more intense, Tara jumped at almost every scene. Joseph noticed how tense she was. He offered her his hand with a chuckle.

"It's just a movie. If you need to, take my hand and squeeze it as tightly as you need to." Joseph said with an insuring smile.

Tara, still somewhat shaky, grabbed Joseph's hand. She immediately began to squeeze his hand. Joseph stared at Tara, and she stared back.

"You ok? Are you sure you don't want to just go back to the embassy?" Joseph asked.

Darok, who was just a few seats over, leaned out of his seat and scowled the Rookie. "Shhhhh!" Darok snapped.


	6. Night Shift

"_Come on out and fight me like a man you ape!" the woman screamed, racking the pump to her M90 shotgun. _

_A few moments later, a Brute emerged from the darkness behind the woman. The Brute held a large dagger, pointed downwards, and aimed directly at the woman's neck. She heard a single footstep, and she quickly whipped around, and let loose a blast from her M90. The shot blew right through the Brute's shoulder. He fell to his knees, and roared in rage and pain. _

"_I will rip your spine out with my bare hands worm!" the Brute screamed, rising back to his feet._

"_Try ripping buckshot out of your head first, you bitch." The woman delivered one more shot to the Brute's head._

_The Brute's head exploded, showering red-blue colored blood, and chunks of gray-matter onto the walls, floor, and even the human herself. _

"_It's finally over…" the woman murmured, falling to her knees. "It's finally over."_

_Of the nine people who were caught in the closed asylum, only three emerged alive. A female Sangheili, and two humans, one male, one female. A few minutes after the woman finished the Brute, the two remaining survivors emerged from two different underground passages. The group had split up in order to find and kill the Brute. They had decided if they were going down, they weren't going without a fight. The three embraced each other, until they heard the sound of a Pelican gunship. They all ran to the roof as quickly as they could. There, multiple soldiers were waiting, armed to the teeth. _

"_Is anyone else down there alive?" a soldier asked. _

"_No… everyone's dead…" the female Sangheili replied._

"_Damn it… Alright boys, bag 'em and tag 'em. We're searching for bodies; keep on the lookout for environmental hazards."_

_The soldiers fanned out across the area, and searched every nook and cranny. One of them ran back upstairs, and tapped his Sergeant on the shoulder. _

"_Sir… we found Brute-blood. But no body."_

_Just then, the radio went into static, and a Marine's voice came over. _

"_Holy shit! Contact, contact! Fall back, I repeat, fall back!"_

And the movie ended right there. Everyone in the crowd stood up and began to clap. Except for some of the mildly disturbed/frightened members of the audience. Such as Tara. She was shaking, her voice was weak, and she turned pale. Joseph sat beside her, with a hand on her shoulder as he tried to calm her down.

"Remember, it's just a movie. Nothing but a movie, it's all fake." Joseph whispered in a soothing tone. It didn't help Tara any however.

"Why… why would he use a knife to do that?" Tara asked herself, as she began to question all forms of logic.

"It's a movie… come on, you need to get some rest." Joseph said, standing up. He gently pulled Tara out of her seat.

Tara was still shaky as the two walked down the halls. A few Marines and a few Sangheili were sparsely scattered in the halls, conversing about the movie, or other non-important and trivial things. Tara was still tightly clenching Joseph's hand, to the point where it was numb. Joseph stopped in front of Tara's room, and glanced around. He opened the door for Tara.

"See? Here we are, nice and safe at your room. Nothing bad happened at all." Joseph said in a light tone.

Tara paused, and swallowed a lump in her throat. She hated asking a stupid question. "Could you… never-mind…" Tara replied, walking into her room. She tried to close the door, but the Rookie managed to squeeze his hand in-between the frame and the door. He murmured in pain, but didn't let out a sound.

"What did you need to ask me?" Joseph asked, pushing the door open.

"I know this is a ridiculous question…" Tara looked down to the floor. "I… could you stay with me until my other guards return from their leave?"

Joseph had to hold back laughter. "Is that it? I'm your guard; it's what I'm supposed to do. I'll be right out here if you need me."

Tara smiled slightly. She took relief in the fact that she had an armed guard standing outside her door. Though a guard can't really help against nightmares. Joseph stood outside Tara's door for an hour and a half. At that point, Joseph heard a blood-curdling screech coming from inside Tara's room. Joseph, assuming the worst, drew his service M6G pistol, and threw the door open. To his surprise, he simply saw Tara sitting up in her bed, with the covers strewn about as if she had thrown them off. Joseph holstered his weapon, and sat on the bed next to Tara. He wrapped his arm around her.

"Nightmares?" Joseph asked.

Tara nodded, not removing her gaze from the dull blue wall that sat across from her bed. The Rookie sighed, and nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?"

Tara shook her head. Joseph shrugged, and stood up. He extended his hand to Tara, who simply stared at him dully.

"Come on. We're going for a walk."

Tara stood up, and followed Joseph out the door. Tara couldn't help but to wonder where and why they were going. But she wasn't complaining. She would happily do almost anything to get her mind off of those terrible nightmares she had.

Joseph led Tara down multiple corridors, and to a service elevator. They boarded the elevator, and Joseph hit the "**UP**" button. The elevator jerked upward, and knocked both of its occupants off balance. The two rode in the elevator in an uncomfortable silence. After a moment, the elevator stopped, and the door slowly opened. Joseph stepped outward first, and waved for Tara to follow.

The two stepped out onto what appeared to be a large balcony. Upon further examination, it was revealed to be a large watchtower.

"This is a Crow's nest for snipers. But they never use it. When I feel like I need to just get away from it all, I come up here at night." Joseph said, leaning against the metal railing.

Due to being in a three-sun system, Sanghelios only gets a few hours of full night. The rest of the time, the suns just crest over the horizon, leaving the land in a dull brightness. Now, however, it was night. Two moons could be seen, if you look at just the right angle. They projected a light-blue hued shade across the trees, the buildings, and every other part of the landscape.

"The view is beautiful…" Tara said, completely forgetting about all of her problems. "It's breathtaking."

"Yeah. Of course, when it's daytime, it gets way too hot to handle up here." The Rookie replied.

The two sat in relative silence for a few minutes. The only sounds you could hear from the watchtower were the sound heavy machinery from the workshop, radio chatter from below the tower, and every once and a while, the elevator behind them moving up and down. After a moment, Tara placed her hand on the railing next to Joseph's. The Rookie looked at her and smiled.

"Something on your mind?" Joseph asked.

Tara took a deep breath, and looked away. "I'm ashamed of myself. I'm fully matured, but here I am, having nightmares."

Joseph placed a sympathetic hand on Tara's shoulder. "It's alright. No one's perfect."

Tara stepped away, and turned her back to Joseph. "It's not alright. Our culture puts emphasis on bravery and strength, but I feel as weak and helpless as a newborn."

Joseph stood up straight, and walked over to Tara. He grabbed her shoulder, and turned her around. He stared at her.

"You're acting strange. What's going on with you?" Joseph asked worriedly.

Tara averted her gaze to the floor.

"Tara, look at me."

Tara still didn't move. Joseph brought his hand up under Tara's chin, and raised her head.

"What's wrong?"

Tara paused for a moment. "It's… it's a female problem…"

Joseph's eyes widened. He stepped back, and slapped himself across the face. He should've guessed that it was 'a female problem'. Right, right?

"I-I… damn it, I'm stupid…" the Rookie murmured. He turned to Tara. "I'm sorry… I'm so stupid… If I did anything stupid, or if I embarrassed you… can we just forget that this night never happened?"

Tara's once serious features slowly turned into a playful smile. She walked to the elevator, and hit the "**DOWN**" button. As the elevator doors closed, Tara smiled more.

"No."

Joseph scratched his head. "What the hell just happened?"

And on that note, Joseph began the excruciatingly long walk down the stairs of the watchtower. At least a hundred flights of stairs that wrapped around the solid concrete tower. Joseph quickly made it back to his bunk, and fell asleep.

Joseph awoke to the sound of his pager going off. He picked up his pager, and stared at it. It was from the Sarge. He read it to himself over and over, hoping he had got it wrong. But he didn't. Sarge said that he was going on a training mission, and needed to gear up right away and meet him at the helipad. The Rookie groaned, and got his armor on. Of course, he made sure to send Darok a message to tell Tara that he would be late for guard duty today.

Tara woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed for being up half the night. When Darok delivered the news, Tara frowned to herself. She had planned on asking Joseph more about Earth. Of course, this training mission would put a damper on things, but of course, he was a Marine before he was Tara's guard.

Tara spent the rest of the day sitting inside, next to a window, where she had a perfect view of the helipad. Every time a Pelican landed, she would stand up from anticipation, only to sit down a moment later when an unfamiliar crew got out. After five hours of waiting, the last Pelican of the day landed. Tara didn't even bother to stand up, thinking it would just be another false-alarm. But then she saw Sergeant Harry dragging the Rookie out of the Pelican, and towards the Med-bay. Ashley rushed out after them, with Rico and Rat coming after them. Rico walked in the completely opposite direction, and Ryan slowly moved towards the Med-Bay as well. Tara shot to her feet, and walked as quickly as she could, since her robe didn't give her enough room to move her legs enough to run.

When Tara found her way to the Med-Bay, the Rookie was lying on a medical table, while Doc Andrews worked on patching him up. He wasn't severely hurt, but he was covered in bruises, cuts, and small amounts of blood. The Sergeant was shaking his head at the Rookie.

"I told you not to use the M90. It's got too much kick for you to handle kid!" Sarge snapped.

"Lay off the kid. He's gut multiple lacerations and contusions, and it seems likely that he has a Grade 2 concussion. What the hell did he do?" Doc Andrews asked, using a flashlight to examine the Rookie's cuts.

"He fell down a hill. Kept rolling for two minutes straight." Ashley replied, leaning on a wall with her arms crossed.

"I'm assuming there were rocks on the hill…" Doc Andrews picked up a packet of sterilizing wipes, and scrubbed down the Rookie's cuts.

"Lots of 'em…" Joseph mumbled, though one eye was closed due to severe irritation.

Tara stepped forward, and ran her hand along Joseph's arm in an attempt to comfort him.

"Are you alright?" Tara asked.

"Fine… Hurts like hell though…" the Rookie murmured.

"Get him to bed, and give him an ice pack. He'll be fine." Doc Andrews said, dismissing the group.

Darok, who stood silently, stepped forward. "I will carry the human to his quarters."

Joseph put his hand up. "I can walk buddy. Just need a stabilizing element…" Joseph carefully drew to his feet, nearly collapsing on himself when he actually hit the floor. Tara reached out to him, and wrapped her arm around him to help him walk.

"Thanks…" Joseph said, slightly dazed.

"No problem." Tara replied with a smile.

Tara helped Joseph limp back to his bunk. Afterwards, the two sat around for half an hour. Then, Joseph insisted on going to the lounge, where soldiers and other base personnel went to spend their free-time. Joseph and Tara took a seat next to the large TV screen, where the news was currently playing. Currently, there was a piece about Covenant Loyalists.

"And in more recent news; a Loyalist freighter was captured by the UNSC Marine Corps. The Head-Command was so happy about this that they have announced they will be rewarding all military personnel, no matter their branch of service. It is currently unknown exactly how the plan on rewarding the soldiers, but we can all rest assured that morale will be up." A reported explained onscreen.


End file.
